1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to magnetic recording apparatuses and methods therefor, and magnetic recording and reproduction apparatuses and methods therefor, and for example, to those suited to digital video cameras.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a recording method for digital video tape recorders, the Digital Video (DV) method (IEC 61834, helical scan digital video tape cassette recording system using 6.35 mm magnetic tape for consumers (525/60, 625/50, 1125/60, and 1250/50 systems)) has been conventionally used. Video cameras and installation-type video tape recorders employing the DV method have been commercially available these years.
In the DV method, magnetic tape (hereinafter called DV tape) to be used has a width of 6.35 mm (=one fourth inch), which is narrower than the tape width (8 mm) of magnetic tape (hereinafter called 8-mm tape) to be used by the Analog 8-mm method (IEC 60843, helical scan video tape cassette recording system using 8 mm magnetic tape for consumers), which has been widely used as a recording method for conventional analog video tape recorders.
Since the DV method compresses video and audio signals to be recorded and uses an increased recording density with a narrower tape width, high-quality recording is implemented for a long period of time.
Although the DV method is not compatible with the Analog 8-mm method, if video and audio signals conforming to the DV-method data format can be recorded on 8-mm tape, which is wider than the DV tape, video and sound can be recorded for a long period of time with high quality. In addition, current resources for 8-mm tape such as production facilities and related components can be effectively used for cases in which the DV method is employed as well as for cases in which the Analog 8-mm method is employed.
When a function for reproducing analog 8-mm tape is further provided, analog 8-mm libraries and other resources can be enjoyed.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic recording apparatus and a method therefor, and a magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus and a method therefor which allow a video signal to be recorded with high quality for a long period of time.
The foregoing object is achieved in one aspect of the present invention through the provision of a magnetic recording apparatus including recording-data generation means for applying predetermined signal processing which includes processing for adding a pilot signal for tracking control, to a video signal to generate recording data having a data format corresponding to a predetermined digital recording method; and recording means for sequentially recording the recording data generated by the recording-data generation means, of two tracks in the digital recording method continuously in one track on magnetic tape, wherein the recording-data generation means places in the recording data one-bit control data indicating the arrangement of the frequencies of pilot signals in tracks on the magnetic tape, the one-bit control data being inverted at an interval of two frames in the NTSC system and of one frame in the PAL system.
In the magnetic recording apparatus, since recording data having a data format corresponding to a digital recording method, of two tracks in the digital recording method is continuously recorded in one track on magnetic tape, a video signal can be recorded with high quality for a long period of time. In addition, when the next scene is recorded on magnetic tape where recording data has been recorded; according to the control data included in the recording data, the frequencies of pilot signals to be added to recording data to be newly recorded for the next scene are easily determined such that the arrangement of the frequencies of the pilot signals which have been recorded in tracks where the recording data has been recorded is followed by a predetermined pattern.
The foregoing object is achieved in another aspect of the present invention through the provision of a magnetic recording method including a first step for applying predetermined signal processing which includes processing for adding a pilot signal for tracking control, to a video signal to generate recording data having a data format corresponding to a predetermined digital recording method; and a second step for sequentially recording the generated recording data of two tracks in the digital recording method continuously in one track on magnetic tape, wherein, in the first step, one-bit control data indicating the arrangement of the frequencies of pilot signals in tracks on the magnetic tape, the one-bit control data being inverted at an interval of two frames in the NTSC system and of one frame in the PAL system, is placed in the recording data.
According to the magnetic recording method, since recording data having a data format corresponding to a digital recording method, of two tracks in the digital recording method is continuously recorded in one track on magnetic tape, a video signal can be recorded with high quality for a long period of time. In addition, when the next scene is recorded on magnetic tape where recording data has been recorded; according to the control data included in the recording data, the frequencies of pilot signals to be added to recording data to be newly recorded for the next scene are easily determined such that the arrangement of the frequencies of the pilot signals which have been recorded in tracks where the recording data has been recorded is followed by a predetermined pattern.
The foregoing object is achieved in yet another aspect of the present invention through the provision of a magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus including recording-data generation means for applying predetermined signal recording processing which includes processing for adding a pilot signal for tracking control, to a video signal to generate recording data having a data format corresponding to a predetermined digital recording method; and recording means for sequentially recording the recording data generated by the recording-data generation means, of two tracks in the digital recording method continuously in one track on magnetic tape, wherein the recording-data generation means places in the recording data one-bit control data indicating the arrangement of the frequencies of pilot signals in tracks on the magnetic tape, the one-bit control data being inverted at an interval of two frames in the NTSC system and of one frame in the PAL system.
In the magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus, since recording data having a data format corresponding to a digital recording method, of two tracks in the digital recording method is continuously recorded in one track on magnetic tape, a video signal can be recorded with high quality for a long period of time. In addition, when the next scene is recorded on magnetic tape where recording data has been recorded; according to the control data included in the recording data, the frequencies of pilot signals to be added to recording data to be newly recorded for the next scene are easily determined such that the arrangement of the frequencies of the pilot signals which have been recorded in tracks where the recording data has been recorded is followed by a predetermined pattern.
The foregoing object is achieved in still another aspect of the present invention through the provision of a magnetic recording and reproduction method including a first step for applying predetermined signal recording processing which includes processing for adding a pilot signal for tracking control, to a video signal to generate recording data having a data format corresponding to a predetermined digital recording method; and a second step for sequentially recording the generated recording data of two tracks in the digital recording method continuously in one track on magnetic tape, wherein, in the first step, one-bit control data indicating the arrangement of the frequencies of pilot signals in tracks on the magnetic tape, the one-bit control data being inverted at an interval of two frames in the NTSC system and of one frame in the PAL system, is placed in the recording data.
According to the magnetic recording and reproduction method, since recording data having a data format corresponding to a digital recording method, of two tracks in the digital recording method is continuously recorded in one track on magnetic tape, a video signal can be recorded with high quality for a long period of time. In addition, when the next scene is recorded on magnetic tape where recording data has been recorded; according to the control data included in the recording data, the frequencies of pilot signals to be added to recording data to be newly recorded for the next scene are easily determined such that the arrangement of the frequencies of the pilot signals which have been recorded in tracks where the recording data has been recorded is followed by a predetermined pattern.
As described above, according to the present invention, since recording data having a data format corresponding to a predetermined digital recording method is generated and the recording data of two tracks in the digital recording method is continuously recorded in one track on magnetic tape, a video signal can be recorded with high quality for a long period of time. In addition, in this case, since control data indicating the arrangement of the frequencies of pilot signals in tracks on the magnetic tape is inverted at an interval of two frames in the NTSC system and of one frame in the PAL system and placed in recording data, the frequencies of pilot signals to be added to recording data to be newly recorded for the next scene are easily determined according to the control data such that tracking is maintained even at the boundary of a recorded video signal and a video signal for the next scene. Therefore, a magnetic recording apparatus and a method therefor, and a magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus and a method therefor, which allow a circuit structure and a program to be simplified are implemented.